Means of spiritual growth

God supplies the resources for spiritual growth

Php 2:13; 2 Pe 1:3

See also Jn 1:16; Jn 4:14; Jn 15:2; Jn 15:5; 1 Co 10:13; 2 Co 3:18; 2 Co 9:10; Ga 5:22–23; Php 1:6; Col 2:19; Jas 1:17; Jas 4:6; Jud 24

God’s people must make efforts to grow spiritually

Php 2:12; 2 Pe 1:5–9

See also Ro 6:19; 2 Co 7:1; Ga 5:16; Ga 5:25; Eph 5:15–16; Eph 6:11–13; 1 Ti 4:7; 1 Ti 6:11–12; 2 Ti 1:6; 2 Pe 3:14; 1 Jn 3:3; Jud 20

Specific means of spiritual growth

Death to self-interest

Colossians 3:5 ESV

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

See also Mt 16:24; Ro 6:6; Ro 6:12; Ro 8:13; Eph 4:22; Col 3:9; 1 Pe 1:14; 1 Pe 2:11

The Scriptures

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

See also Jos 1:8; Ps 19:7–8; Ps 119:9–11; Jn 17:17; Eph 6:17; Col 3:16; 1 Pe 2:2; 1 Jn 2:14

Prayer

Mt 6:13; Col 4:2

See also 1 Ch 16:11; Mt 7:11; Mt 26:41; Jn 16:24; Ac 4:29–31; Eph 6:18; 1 Th 5:17; Jas 1:5

Focusing on Jesus Christ

Hebrews 3:1 ESV

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

See also Mt 11:29; Jn 13:15; Ro 15:5; Php 2:5; Heb 12:2–3; 1 Pe 2:21; 1 Jn 2:6

The role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual growth

Ephesians 3:16–18 ESV

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

See also Eph 1:13–14; Eph 1:17; Eph 2:19–22

Christian leadership

Ephesians 4:11–13 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

See also 1 Co 4:16; 1 Co 11:1; Php 1:25; Php 3:17; Heb 13:7; Heb 13:17; 1 Pe 5:2–3

Faith in God

Ephesians 6:16 ESV

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

See also Heb 11:6; 1 Jn 5:4

Suffering and testing

Romans 5:3–4 ESV

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

See also Job 23:10; Ps 119:67; Zec 13:9; Heb 12:10–11; 1 Pe 1:6–7; Jas 1:2–4

Perseverance

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

See also Php 3:12–14; 1 Ti 4:15

Cultivating wholesome thinking

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

God will bring the spiritual growth of believers to completion

1 John 3:2 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

See also Eph 5:25–27; Php 1:6; Jud 24–25; Re 21:2